Laurel Hanson, 49, passed away on February 21, 2026, at her home in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Laurel was born on March 10th, 1976 at St. Michaels Hospital one day before we had a March blizzard. She lived and attended school in East Grand Forks, MN.
In 1986, she started school in Thompson, ND and graduated in 1994. She attended Moorhead State in MN and graduated in 1998. She then attended UND and graduated with her Juris Doctorate in Law School and was #1 in her class. After graduating she moved to Bismarck, ND where she worked at the ND Supreme Court for one year. She worked with Chief Justice Gerald W. VandeWalle. Then she moved to Fargo, ND and worked at the US District Court for Federal Magistrate Judge Karen Klein. Both VandeWalle and Klein had an amazing impact on her, they were the best mentors she could ask for. They made her enjoy her job more than she already did and had many great experiences working under them. Laurel ended up retiring in 2009 due to medical reasons and ultimately moved back to Grand Forks. She loved to travel and went to many great places! Some of her favorites were Norway, Australia, and Alaska. Many times going on a cruise so she could scuba dive, her favorite was the Great Barrier Reef. No matter where she went as long as she had a book or Kindle in her hand, she was happy to just sit and wait for the next adventure.
Laurel was preceded in death by her grandparents, DL (Margaret) Widmeyer, Wesley (Marie) Hanson, and godmother, Janet Horejsi.
Laurel is survived by her parents, Dennis (Barbara) Hanson; brothers, Les and Loran; Godfather James Horejsi; Godson Aaron Smith; nieces and nephews, Seth, Brandon (Danielle), Kelsie, Hoksila, Dylan, Macy, and the cutest and newest Hanson, her great niece Presley Renee Hanson.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at Amundson Funeral Home. Interment will take place at a later date at IOOF Cemetery in Cando, ND.